Minnesota 

State  Public  School 

For  Dependent  Children 


Survey  of  Results 
Twenty-Eight  Years  Work 

(Address  delivered  by  Galen  A.  Merrill,  Superintendent  of 
State  Public  School,  at  Quarterly  Conference  of  Executive 
Officers  of  State  Institutions  with  the  State  Board  of 
Control,  at  the  State  Sanatorium  for  Consumptives,  August 
3,  1915.) 


□ □ □ 


SYNDICATE  PRINTING  CO. 

Minneapolis 

1915 


> I A f (i  I j, 

• (|  I Jill  III  | ) }v,:  . 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign  Alternates 


6 


https://archive.org/details/minnesotastatepuOOmerr 


* 


<4 


3U.1 

l)  is  \>  Tvv 


STATE  PUBLIC  SCHOOL  FOR  DEPENDENT  AND  NEGLECTED  CHIL- 
DREN. SURVEY  OF  RESULTS  OF  TWENTY-EIGHT  YEARS’  WORK. 

Galen  A.  Merrill,  Superintendent  State  Public  School. 

From  the  opening  of  this  institution  December  2,  1886,  to  December  2, 
1914,  5,098  children,  3,042  boys  and  2,056  girls,  were  committed  to  its  guar- 
dianship. On  the  latter  date  307  remained  in  the  institution.  The  others, 
with  some  exceptions,  had  been  placed  out  under  supervision,  some  with 
their  own  people,  but  most  of  them  in  foster  homes,  after  a period  of  care 
and  training  in  the  institution. 

Individual  records  of  the  progress  and  development  of  the  children  have 
been  kept.  These  records  include  information  obtained  by  our  state  agents 
who  have  personally  visited  the  children  at  intervals  in  their  homes  or 
places  of  employment.  Some  of  the  results  as  shown  by  the  records  of  the 
first  4,000  children  received  are  summarized  in  the  statement  which  follows. 
Those  who  have  developed  into  men  and  women  of  good  character  and  are 
fulfilling  the  requirements  of  good  citizenship,  and  the  minor  wards  who 
are  developing  normally,  meeting  the  requirements  of  good  homes  and 
giving  promise  of  success,  are  designated  as  doing  well.  Those  who  have 
been  less  successful  or  who  are  not  developing  so  satisfactorily  but  who 
have  become  or  give  promise  of  becoming  at  least  self-supporting,  respect- 
able citizens,  are  designated  as  doing  fairly  well.  Those  who  are  regarded 
in  the  communities  where  they  live  as  undesirable  citizens  or  who  do  not 
give  promise  of  becoming  useful  are  classified  as  doing  poorly. 


BOYS,  2,407. 


Total. 


Farmers  885 

Day  laborers  210 

Salesmen  56 

Office  clerks  30 

Chauffeurs  26 

Carpenters  20 

Traveling  salesmen 19 

Teamsters  17 

Teachers  16 

Mechanical  engineers 16 

In  navy,  enlisted  men 16 

Buttermakers  14 

Machinists  13 

Electricians  12 

Stationary  firemen  12 

In  army,  enlisted  men 10 

Merchants  8 

Telegraph  operators 8 

Printers  8 

C'ooks  8 

Elevator  men  8 

Janitors  7 

Barbers  7 

Porters  7 

Coopers  5 

Miners  5 

Brakemen  5 

Painters  5 

Street  car  conductors 4 

Locomotive  firemen 4 

Engravers  4 

Cigarmakers  4 

Actors  4 

Army  officers  4 

Waiters  4 

Civil  engineers  3 

Nurses  3 


Doing  Doing  Doing 

Well.  Fairly  Well.  Poorly. 

624—70%  212—24%  49—  6% 

89—43%  78—37%  43—20% 

49  5 2 

28  2 

18  6 2 

19  1 

14  5 

5 9 3 

16  

16  

3 9 4 

14  

13  

11  1 

8 3 1 

3 3 4 

8 

8 

6 11 

5 3 

7 1 

6 1 

5 1 1 

5 2 

5 

2 2 1 

3 2 

2 3 

4 

4 

4 

3 1 

1 3 

4 

3 1 

3 

3 


4 


Total. 


Stenographers  3 

Plumbers  8 

Masons  3 

Bakers  3 

Hotel  clerks  3 

Sailors  3 

Electrical  engineers 2 

Express  agents  2 

Postal  clerks  2 

Photographers  2 

Millers  2 

Real  estate  agents 2 

Insurance  agents  2 

Musicians  2 

Florists  2 

Tinners  2 

Tailors  2 

Broom  makers  2 

Blacksmiths  2 

Eivery  men  2 

Section  foremen  2 

Railway  news  agents 2 

Tramps  2 

Gamblers  2 

College  instructors  1 

Lawyer  1 

Publisher  1 

Bark  cashier  1 

Assistant  state  bank  exam- 
iner   1 

Steward  in  state  institution.  1 

Government  meat,  inspector.  1 

Member  Catholic  Brotherhood  1 

Salvation  Army  officer 1 

Naval  officer  1 

Manufacturing  dentist 1 

Lo  p-ei  n g con  tra  c tor 1 

Building  mover 1 

Owner  disinfecting  factory  . . 1 

Restaurant  keeper 1 

Jeweler  1 

Harness  maker  1 

^Koemaker  1 

Butcher  1 

Meat  cutter  1 

Patternmaker  1 

Horse  dealer  1 

^ 'Torn her  fire  department 1 

°ailw’av  conductor 1 

Locomotive  engineer 1 

station  agent 1 

R^ake  inspector  1 

Poach  man  1 

Pall  player  1 

Canadian  mounted  police....  1 

^potb’aok  1 

TTo’’se  jockey  1 

Bartender  1 

In  St.  Cloud  reformatory....  10 

In  state’s  prison 3 

7u  insane  hospital 1 

County  charges,  hospital  sub- 
jects   4 

Feeble-minded  65 

Remaining  in  foster  farm 

homes  342 

Remaining  in  foster  city 

homes  92 

"With  parents  in  city  homes.  105 
With  parents  in  country 

homes  45 

Remaining  in  state  public 

school  15 

In  school  for  blind,  Faribault  2 

In  school  for  deaf.  Faribault  1 

In  government  Indian  school, 

Carlyle  1 


2,260 

Died  147 


Total  boys  2,407 


Doing 

Well. 

3 

3 

2 

3 

2 


2 

2 

2 

2 

1 

2 

2 

2 

1 

2 

1 


2 

1 

2 

2 


1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 


1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 


1 


Doing 
Fairly  Well. 


1 

1 


1 

1 


1 


249—73% 

72—78% 

62—59% 

26—58% 

12 

* ”i 

l 


77—22% 

16 — 18% 
24—23% 

11—24% 

3 

2 


1,506—67%  502—22% 


Doing 

Poorly. 


1 


1 


1 


2 

2 


V? 


1 

10 

3 
1 

4 

65  « 

16—  5% 

4—  4% 

19—18% 

8—18% 


252—11% 


5 


* 


v 


GIRLS,  1,593. 

MARRIED. 


Farmers’  wives  

Day  laborers’  wives 

Salesmen’s  wives  

Merchants’  wives  

Carpenters’  wives  

Barbers’  wives  

Traveling-  salesmen’s  wives.. 

Musicians’  wives  

Hotel  keepers’  wives 

Masons’  wives  

Painters’  wives  

Teamsters’  wives  

Banker’s  wife  

Lawyer’s  wife  

Publisher’s  wife  

School  superintendent’s  wife 

Miller’s  wife  

Photographer’s  wife 

Mechanical  engineer’s  wife.. 
Electrical  engineer’s  wife... 

Millwright’s  wife  

Locomotive  fireman’s  wife... 

Motorman’s  wife 

Office  clerk’s  wife 

Printer’s  wife  

Stone  cutter’s  wife 

Policeman’s  wife  

Miner’s  wife  

Baggageman’s  wife  

Waiter’s  wife  

Porter’s  wife  

Showman’s  wife  

Ball  player’s  wife 

Bartender’s  wife  


Doing  Doing 

Total.  Well.  Fairly  Well. 

169  148—87%  15—  9% 

50  10—20%  23—46% 

17  17  

13  13  

5 5 

5 2 

4 4 

2 1 1 

2 2 

2 2 

2 2 

2 2 

1 1 

1 1 

1 

1 1 

1 1 

1 1 

1 1 

1 1 

1 1 

1 1 

1 1 

1 1 

1 1 

1 1 

1 1 

1 1 

1 1 

1 

1 1 

1 1 

1 1 

1 1 


295  218—74% 


49—17% 


Doing 
Poorly. 
6—  4% 
17—34% 


1 


1 


28—  9% 


UNMARRIED. 


s 


o 

ui 

ce. 


Doing 

Total.  Well. 

Doing  house  work,  country 

homes  159  106—68% 

noing  house  work,  city  homes  101  29 — 29% 

Teachers  43  43 

Telephone  operators 24  19 

Saleswomen  23  17 

Dressmakers  22  17 

Nurses  14  14 

Office  clerks  14  12 

Stenographers  13  13 

Waitresses  12  5 

Seamstresses  9 6 

Milliners  3 3 

Cooks  2 1 

Chorus  girls  2 

csjctprs  of  charity 2 2 

Institution  matron  1 1 

Postmistress  1 1 

Tiri->nt  in  orphans’  home.  1 1 

Janitress  1 1 

Laundress  1 1 

County  charges,  hospital  sub- 
jects   4 

"CeeHe-minded  63  

In  state  sanatorium.  Walker  1 

In  hospital  for  crippled  chil- 


Doing 
Fairly  Well. 

36—22% 

52—51% 

" *5* 

5 

5 


Doing 

Poorly. 

17—10% 

20—20% 


63 


o 

Remaining  in 
homes  

foster  farm 

335 

287—86% 

35—10% 

13—  4% 

& 

Remaining  in 
homes  

foster  city 

174 

161—93% 

11—  6% 

2—  1% 

With  parents  in 

city  homes 

134 

64—48% 

52—39% 

18—13% 

With  parents 
homes  

in  country 

P<\ 

-o_49% 

11—28% 

9—23% 

6 


Total. 

Remaining-  in  state  public 

school  5 

In  school  for  blind,  Faribault  1 

In  government  Indian  school, 

Carlyle  1 


Total  unmarried 1,206 

Total  married  as  shown.  295 


1,501 

Died  92 


Doing- 

Well. 

Doing 

Fairly  Well. 

Doing 

Poorly. 

3 

1 

2 

1 

829—69% 

218 

223—18% 

49 

154—13% 

28 

1,047 

272 

182 

Total  girls  1,593 

This  group  of  4,00.0  children  includes  the  older  ones  who  have  attained 
majority  and  are  pursuing  their  chosen  vocations  or  working  for  themselves, 
and  the  minor  wards  who  have  become  established  in  their  homes.  The 
oldest  person  in  the  group  is  41  years  old.  The  small  percentage  of  those 
remaining  in  their  homes  who  are  doing  poorly  is  worthy  of  note.  Those 
remaining  in  foster  homes,  in  cities  especially,  include  many  children  who 
were  taken  from  the  school  when  very  young  by  wealthy  or  well-to-do 
families  for  adoption.  The  results  in  such  cases  have  been  very  satis- 
factory. 

For  many  of  the  children  the  country  is  the  best  place;  those  who  have 
gone  into  country  homes  and  remained  there  are,  as  a rule,  more  satisfac- 
torily situated  than  those  who  have  left  the  farms  and  gone  to  the  cities. 
Only  6 per  cent  of  the  boys  who  have  followed  farming  as  an  occupation 
and  only  4 per  cent  of  the  girls  who  have  married  farmers  have  done  poorly, 
while  20  per  cent  of  the  boys  who  have  no  regular  occupation  but  depend  on 
day  labor  -and  34  per  cent  of  the  girls  who  have  married  day  laborers  have 
done  poorly.  The  number  of  day  laborers  is  made  up  largely  from  those 
who  have  left  their  farm  homes  and  gone  to  the  cities.  Girls  placed  in  farm 
homes  have  usually  done  well.  They  have  become  members  of  the  com- 
munity, have  married  the  sons  of  farmers  in  the  neighborhood,  and  estab 
lished  homes  of  their  own.  It  is  also  true  that  the  girls  who  remain  in  the 
country  to  do  housework  in  the  farmers’  families  do  better  than  those  who 
drift  to  the  cities  and  become  domestics  in  city  homes.  In  contrast  with 
the  social  position  of  the  girl  who  does  housework  in  a city  home,  the 
country  girl  is  the  social  equal  of  the  girls  in  the  farmer’s  family  and  those 
in  the  neighborhood  and  is  treated  as  such. 

It  will  be  seen  that  a larger  percentage  of  the  children  returned  to 
their  own  parents  are  doing  poorly  than  of  those  placed  in  foster  homes.  A 
higher  standard  is  maintained  for  the  approval  of  foster  homes  than  of  the 
children’s  own  homes.  In  many  cases,  however,  the  circumstances  of  the 
parents  have  improved  sufficiently  to  enable  them  to  care  properly  for  their 
children  and  the  children  have  done  fairly  well. 

The  results  indicate  that,  as  a rule,  the  children  have  become  a part 
of  the  normal  population,  attending  the  public  schools  and  engaging  in  the 
social,  religious  and  industrial  activities  of  the  communities  in  which  they 
live;  that  those  who  have  reached  man’s  and  woman’s  estate  are,  a large 
majority  of  them,  maintaining  themselves  honorably  as  citizens  of  good 
character. 


